Jubb handed England U18 debut

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:32:00 +0200

Saracens lock Tom Jubb will win his first cap for England Under-18 when they face up to Six Nations rivals, France, in South Africa on Tuesday.

The 6ft 7in 17-year-old from Luton, a product of the Fullerians and Letchworth clubs, is the only debutant in the starting line-up for the game in George (kick-off 5pm).

England have won their last 18 internationals at this level and will be aiming to emulate their 33-16 win over France at Newbury in February.

The young Englishmen opened their three-match tour of South Africa with a 35-10 win against a Namibia Invitation XV in East London last Friday and head coach John Fletcher has made 10 changes to the starting side for France.

The changes include lock George Merrick and winger Mark Jennings making their first appearances of the trip, a new front row and a positional switch with Joel Hodgson moving from scrumhalf to flyhalf, with Dan Robson alongside him.

Hosts South Africa will face up to Namibia's Under-18s - also on Tuesday. The SA Under-18s, of course, beat France 25-5 last week.

The England Under-18 team: 15 Ben Ransom (Tonbridge & Saracens), 14 Mark Jennings (Lymm HS & Sale Sharks), 13 Elliot Daly (Whitgift & London Wasps), 12 Tommy Bell (Bacup and Rawtenstall GS & Sale Sharks), 11 Charlie Walker (Oakham & Harlequins), 10 Joel Hodgson (RGS Newcastle & Newcastle Falcons), 9 Dan Robson (Hartpury College & Gloucester Rugby), 8 Billy Vunipola (Harrow & London Wasps - vice-captain), 7 Chris Walker (Prince Henry's GS, Otley & Leeds Carnegie - captain), 6 Will Skuse (Bryanston & Bath Rugby), 5 Tom Jubb (Oaklands College & Saracens), 4 George Merrick (Whitgift School & Harlequins), 3 Kyle Sinckler (Epsom College & Harlequins), 2 Nathan Moris (Sedbergh & Newcastle Falcons), 1 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Truro College & Exeter Chiefs).
Replacements: 16 Koree Britton (Ivybridge College & Gloucester Rugby), 17 Nick Auterac (Oaklands College & Saracens), 18 Anthony Brennan (Twyford Cofe & London Wasps),
19 Will Spencer (St Paul's Catholic & Bath Rugby), 20 Sam Northcote-Green (Dulwich College & London Wasps), 21 Henry Slade (Plymouth College & Exeter Chiefs), 22 Sam Hill (Ivybridge College & Exeter Chiefs), 23 Anthony Watson (St George's College, Weybridge & London Irish), 24 Dominic Barrow (Prince Henry's GS, Otley & Leeds Carnegie).

Kick-off: 5pm